Protective joist cover

Abstract

A protective joist cover is adapted to cover a joist. The joist cover includes a top section and a bottom section. The top section has a top end web and a pair of substantially parallel top side webs each extending from an end of the top end web. The top side webs are substantially perpendicular to the top end web. The bottom section has a bottom end web and a pair of substantially parallel bottom sides webs each extending from an end of the bottom end web. The bottom side webs are substantially perpendicular to the bottom end web. The pair of top side webs and the pair of bottom side webs are dimensioned such that they overlap when positioned over the joist. The protective joist cover is made of a thermoplastic material.

What is claimed as the invention is:  
     
         1 . A protective joist cover adapted to cover a joist having a width, the protective joist cover comprising; 
 a top section having a top end web and a pair of substantially parallel top side webs each extending from an end of the top end web and being substantially perpendicular to the top end web;    a bottom section having a bottom end web and a pair of substantially parallel bottom sides webs each extending from an end of the bottom end web and being substantially perpendicular to the bottom end web and whereby the pair of top side webs and the pair of bottom side webs are dimensioned such that they overlap when positioned over the joist; and    the protective joist cover being of a thermoplastic material.    
     
     
         2 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the distance between the inside surfaces of the pair of top side webs generally equals the width of the joist plus the thickness of the pair of bottom side webs.  
     
     
         3 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the distance between the inside surfaces of the pair of bottom side webs generally equals to distance between the inside surfaces of the pair of top side webs.  
     
     
         4 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the distance between the inside surface of the pair of bottom side webs generally equals the width of the joist.  
     
     
         5 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the overlap is greater than 0.5 inches.  
     
     
         6 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the overlap is between 0.5 and 2 inches.  
     
     
         7 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the pair of bottom side webs is substantially longer than the pair of top side webs.  
     
     
         8 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the length of the pair of top side webs is between 0.5 and 2 inches.  
     
     
         9 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the width of the joist is between 1.25 and 1.75 inches.  
     
     
         10 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the pair of top side webs and the pair of bottom side webs have the same web thickness and the distance between the inside surfaces of the pair of bottom side webs and the inside surface of the pair of top side webs is equal to the distance between the inside surfaces of the pair of top side webs and is equal to the width of the joist plus the web thickness.  
     
     
         11 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the overlap is greater than 0.5 inches.  
     
     
         12 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the inside surface of the top end web has a plurality of detents extending inwardly therefrom thereby providing an airspace between the top end web and the joist when positioned over the joist.  
     
     
         13 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the inside surface of the bottom end web has a plurality of detents extending inwardly therefrom thereby providing an airspace between the bottom end web and the joist when positioned over the joist.  
     
     
         14 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the inside surface of each of the pair of top side webs has a plurality of detents extending inwardly therefrom thereby providing an airspace between the top side web and the joist when positioned over the joist.  
     
     
         15 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the inside surface of the at least one of the pair of top side webs has a plurality of detents extending inwardly therefrom thereby providing an airspace between the top side web and the joist when positioned over the joist and the inside surface of the at least one of the pair of bottom side webs has a plurality of detents extending inwardly therefrom thereby providing an airspace between the bottom side web and the joist when positioned over the joist.  
     
     
         16 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the inside surface of each of the pair of bottom side webs has a plurality of detents extending inwardly therefrom thereby providing an airspace between the bottom side web and the joist when positioned over the joist and the inside surface of each of the pair of top side webs has a plurality of detents extending inwardly therefrom thereby providing an airspace between the top side web and the joist when positioned over the joist.  
     
     
         17 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 3  wherein a distal end portion of each of the pair of the bottom side webs is offset inwardly from a remainder portion of the respective bottom side web and is generally parallel thereto.  
     
     
         18 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the top end web, the pair of top side webs, the bottom end web and the pair of bottom side webs all have the same thickness.  
     
     
         19 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic material is chosen from the group consisting of a thermoplastic resin, a blend of thermoplastic resins and a mixture of thermoplastic resins.  
     
     
         20 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic resin is chosen from the group consisting of a virgin resin, a recycled resin, and a mixture of virgin and recycled resins.  
     
     
         21 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic material contains a filler.  
     
     
         22 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the filler is chosen from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, metallic fibers, thermoplastic fibers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         23 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the filler is one of cellulosic fibers and cellulosic particles derived by one of the comminution and attrition by one of grinding and milling one of wood, plant matter and agricultural byproducts chosen from the group of hulls, husks, shells, straws and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         24 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the filler is cellulosic fibers from one of recycling and a byproduct of paper production.  
     
     
         25 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 21  wherein said filler is a mineral filler chosen from the group consisting of talc, mica, calcium carbonate and clays.  
     
     
         26 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 1  where the protective joist cover is manufactured as a hollow profile and subsequently cut into the top section and the bottom section.  
     
     
         27 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 2  where the protective joist cover is manufactured as a hollow profile and subsequently cut into the top section and the bottom section.  
     
     
         28 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 3  where the protective joist cover is manufactured as a hollow profile and subsequently cut into the top section and the bottom section.  
     
     
         29 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 4  where the protective joist cover is manufactured as a hollow profile and subsequently cut into the top section and the bottom section.  
     
     
         30 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 7  where the protective joist cover is manufactured as a hollow profile and subsequently cut into the top section and the bottom section.  
     
     
         31 . A protective joist cover as claimed in  claim 10  where the protective joist cover is manufactured as a hollow profile and subsequently cut into the top section and the bottom section.  
     
     
         32 . A hollow profile adapted to be selectively cut into a protective joist cover adapted to cover a joist having a width, the protective joist cover comprising; 
 a top section having a top end web and a pair of substantially parallel top side webs each extending from an end of the top end web and being substantially perpendicular to the top end web;    a bottom section integrally attached to the top section and adapted to be selectively cut therefrom, the bottom section having a bottom end web and a pair of substantially parallel bottom sides webs each extending from an end of the bottom end web and being substantially perpendicular to the bottom end web and whereby the pair of top side webs and the pair of bottom side webs are dimensioned such that they overlap when positioned over the joist; and    the hollow profile being of a thermoplastic material.